CTA evaluate Biometric Time and Attendance following an incident with an imposter

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) are currently evaluating long-term security solutions, which include implementing a biometric time and attendance system, following an incident at one of their garages on the Chicago South Side last week.

According to a release from the CTA, an impersonator wearing what appeared to be a CTA uniform, drove the bus out of the 103rd Street garage and was seen later that night by another employee. The bus he was driving struck another bus, and when the employee alerted a supervisor, the man fled.

The man is believed to be an acquaintance of a CTA bus driver and is suspected of stealing a uniform shirt from that employee. Security camera footage from the bus indicates that the suspect was familiar enough with CTA procedures to log in and start the bus, but he did not appear to be an expert driver, the release said.

“The CTA and the Chicago Police Department are working closely together to identify and quickly apprehend this individual,” CTA President Richard Rodriguez said in the release.
“The safeguards in place to keep our garages secure clearly were circumvented and that is not acceptable. Because this person was in a uniform and familiar with the CTA, we are tightening our check-in procedures.”

Bus operators are required to show their driver’s license to the garage clerk when reporting for their work assignment, at each CTA garage. It is mandatory for all employees to visibly display CTA identification at all times and they are disciplined if they fail to comply. In addition, all garage doors will be closed and locked overnight with the exception of those used to allow buses to exit and enter.

The CTA are in the early stages of implementing a biometric time and attendance system which will require employees to swipe in and out as they enter and exit garages.

For the complete story, please see the Sun-Times Media Wire or the CTA website.

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